Treating A Nest In The Ground
Yellow jackets and cicada killers are treated at the entrance hole, where the colony comes and goes.
What a Ground Nest Treatment Is and When It Is the Right Call
Yellow jackets are the ground nester homeowners run into most. A single queen starts the colony in spring in a ready made cavity, usually an old vole or mouse burrow, and by August the nest below can be the size of a basketball or larger, with a constant stream of workers at the entrance. They defend it, and the vibration of a mower or a foot nearby is enough to bring them out. Cicada killers look alarming because of their size but are solitary and rarely sting. Each female digs her own burrow, often many in the same dry patch of lawn, and the mound of loose soil at the opening is the telltale.
For a yellow jacket nest we treat at the entrance, applying a product into the hole so it carries down to the nest and treats the workers moving in and out. This is done at a time of low activity, with protective gear, and the entrance is not covered until the colony has stopped, so returning foragers pass through the treated opening rather than digging a new one. For cicada killers we treat the individual burrows and, where there are many, the area of turf they are working.
It is the right call for any ground nest near where people walk, mow or play. A yellow jacket nest in a far corner of a wooded lot that nobody goes near can sometimes be left until frost ends the colony, and we will say so if that fits your situation. It is not the method for a nest in a wall or an attic, or for one hanging from the structure.
Expect activity to drop over a day, sometimes two for a large colony. Stay clear of the area until then. Once the nest is quiet we fill the entrance. Cicada killers return to the same dry patches year after year, and thickening the turf or covering bare soil in those beds is the lasting answer for them.
How We Treat a Ground Nest
Find the entrance
We watch the flight line and locate the true entrance, which is sometimes a few feet from where the insects seem to be gathering. We confirm whether it is yellow jackets or cicada killers.
Clear the area
People and pets are moved away from the nest and the technician sets up protective gear. Mowing near the nest stops until the colony is quiet.
Treat at the entrance
The product is applied into the entrance so it travels to the nest below and treats the foragers passing through the opening. The hole is left open.
Confirm the colony has stopped
Over the next day or two we confirm that activity has ended before anything is covered.
Fill the entrance
The hole is filled once quiet. For cicada killers, we point out the bare or thin turf that keeps inviting new burrows.
A Local, Family Owned Team in South Hill
Rozier is a family owned, faith-driven company based in South Hill. Because moisture is what invites termites and rodents in the first place, real prevention starts below the surface.
We treat the infestation and correct the moisture conditions that caused it, instead of handing you to a second contractor.
Each home we visit is assessed through a pest lens and a moisture lens, because underneath a house they are the same problem.
We do not arrive with a predetermined treatment and a timer running. What we propose follows from what we find.
Children, pets and sensitive family members are part of the decision about what gets used and how it is applied.
Answers to Common Questions About Ground Nest Treatment
Don't see your question here? Our team is happy to help. Reach out anytime.
Signs That May Point to Stinging Insect Activity
These are some of the warning signs that can lead to a stinging insect inspection. The right treatment depends on what the inspection finds.
Other Stinging Insect Control Solutions We Use
Each method is matched to what the inspection finds at your property. These are the others we use for the same kind of problem.
Eave and Soffit Residual Treatment
A treated surface where wasps like to build, applied before and during the season.
Learn more
Nest Treatment and Removal
The nest is treated first, then taken down once the colony has stopped moving.
Learn more
Wall Void and Attic Nest Treatment
The cavity is treated through its own opening, and the hole is never sealed first.
Learn moreProudly Serving Southern Virginia and Northern North Carolina
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Protection in Three Straightforward Steps
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Call for a free estimate.
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Get a plan built for your home.
We inspect above and below the surface, explain plainly what we found, and recommend only what your property actually needs.
We handle the work.
Our team carries out the treatment or the repair, and tells you what to expect afterwards and when we will be back.
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